Jamie Thraves

Jamie Thraves is an award-winning director who is mainly known for directing short films. He experimented with short films at university to stimulate his career. Short films allow you to see where one strengths and weaknesses are. It also allows you to figure out what people like to see the most. Mostly, directors who opt for the "indie," route prefer to be more experimental with their ideas instead of being mainstream. His award winning short films Scratch (1991), and The Take-Out (1993) made a mark for him at film festivals worldwide. Later, after joining the Royal College Of Art in 1993, he made another award winning film called the Hackney Downs (1994). Thraves is passionate at making films, and thoroughly enjoys speaking to the audience through his ideas.

His breakthrough stems from joining Oil Factory, a music video company. His breakthrough video was Radiohead for their song “Just.” It obtained most of the recognition for the strong narrative structure. The man’s dialogue at the end of the video still arouses debates and discussions amongst fans. Additionally, he made a short film, I Just Want To Kiss You (1997) starred Martin Freeman. This won the Fox Searchlight Award for Best Short Film, at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 1988.

Thraves’ first feature, The Low Down (2000) with Film 4 starred Aiden Gillen, Kate Ashfield and Dean Lennox Kelly.  The Low Down is a one of the “neglected masterpieces,” of film history according to The Observer. Coldplay, The Verve and Blur are just some of the artists he’s made music videos for.  The Scientist by Coldplay won three Moon Men at the VMA’s, which includes Best Direction and Breakthrough Video.

He participated in an international co-production with BBC Films, starring Paddy Considine and Julia Stiles. It was based on the novel The Cry of the Owl by Patricia High smith. This was his second feature (2009).

Treacke Jr (2010), was his third feature, reuniting with Aiden Gillen , also winning the Hitchcock D’Or – Grand Jury Prize. Thraves had remortgaged his house in order to make the film. This premiered at the 54^th BFI London Film Festival. Time Out had reportedly said Treacle Jr was “funny, touching and gritty, this coolly rendered observation on need and rejection really is a Brit drama to shout about.”

BFI London Film Festival is one of the biggest events that an independent director could attend. The London Film Festival allows screening for directors who want more recognition. It centres in Leicester Square, but it spreads all over London. There are a number of Q&As and masterclasses alongside workshops, talks and additional films.